Using computer speakers with decks?

[dizzee russell]

Gday lads,

Have a bit of a budget and cant really afford a decent set of studio monitors, but computer speakers like logitech and altec lansing are fairly priced and seem to sound good playing music from a computer and usually have a sub.. does anyone use these types of speakers with there decks?

[mashedman]

How much did you pay for the rest of your equipment?

Too many people seem to be willing to spend thousands getting top of the line decks and mixer. But dont seem willing to get even half decent speakers.

[dizzee russell]

ahh 2 and a bit.. 2 cdj400s and a djm400 .. i bought em in a hurry before the price hike.. and yeah your right.. i should of considered speakers also

[mashedman]

it's just that most people seem to overlook one of the most important parts of a system. If you're going to spend a few hundred on computer speakers i would wait a bit and buy some proper speakers. Just use whatever you have for now.

[merv_clarke]

They will be fine in a small room for personal use. If you want to play a house party hire some PA.

If one of your friends wants you to play there party and arnt prepared to hire some speakers not worth djing the party IMO

Just remember to start saving for some decent speakers thoght

[Ecleracid]

If all your after are some top quality computer speakers to get you by, I recommend the Edifier S530's. They're a 2.1 speaker system, with 8" sub and all speakers are housed in MDF cabs (not cheap plastic or chip board). The monitors are made up of a 1" silk dome tweeter, and 3" mid and they have a 12dB passive cross-over which is unlike any other computer speaker in this price range. You should be able to pick them up for $300... I got mine from Harvey Norman's almost 12 months ago.

http://www.audion-mm.com/v2/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/719f1475790599652a63843b6dc87010.jpg

http://www.inter-asia.com.my/prd~images/556586f36742cb536746dd6a2bd51962.jpg

http://www.inter-asia.com.my/prd~images/84e272f8a272701f0e05ca82d1e4e088.jpg

http://www.inter-asia.com.my/prd~images/bc0c71078e6eed84712188c8432c1d94.jpg

http://www.inter-asia.com.my/prd~images/9eee49eb500707691e42e767c324ae2e.jpg

http://www.audion-mm.com/v2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=430&category_id=8&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=26

[dizzee russell]

them edifiers look pretty sweet.. might be a winner.. yeah just got them hooked up to my home hifi atm in the lounge room, but am sick fuckers playen around with them when they come round.. so just wanna get em outta the way, put em in my room on a desk with some speakers and me lappy connected

[DTrancer]

i just got a set of these babies delivered today and my do they sound good!! beats my logitech by miles! It certainly works well if you have the decks set up in a small room, where a PA system would look ridiculous!

[Bracko]

http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1961

would be a better than logitec option. i'm actually pretty happy with them in terms of quality / price / loudness. they are a very nice sounding speaker

[brendanClay]

Just found the Samsons for $300.00 too.

http://www.djxpress.com.au/products.php?category_1_id=2&category_2_id=15&product_id=2302

I recently bought a pair of Behringer Truth 2031As from Store DJ. (Who price-matched the DJWarehouse price of $450.00.)

Before, you frown upon them because of the brand (i.e. Behringer), I really don't mind these at all. (They were also a lot bigger than I was expecting too.)

Here are the 2031As > http://www.storedj.com.au/products/product.php?id=720

[Spectrum]

Gday lads,

Have a bit of a budget and cant really afford a decent set of studio monitors, but computer speakers like logitech and altec lansing are fairly priced and seem to sound good playing music from a computer and usually have a sub.. does anyone use these types of speakers with there decks?


Look at the Post A Pic Of Your Two Pioneer CDJs And A Pioneer Mixer thread and you'll see the majority running computer speakers, with Logitech reigning supreme.

Personally, I reckon they sound like rubbish.

[Purpose]

eBay, I bought some mackie monitors for like $120 of UK eBay..

[seth111]

Yea why do so many people not even consider buying secondhand, if you not a complete muppet you should be able to pick a bargain on some used monitors quite easily.

[Funkedub]

Look at the Post A Pic Of Your Two Pioneer CDJs And A Pioneer Mixer thread.

i lol'd

Yea why do so many people not even consider buying secondhand, if you not a complete muppet you should be able to pick a bargain on some used monitors quite easily.


i kept my eyes on eBay for a while before i got my current monitors, and i found decent speakers seldom came up for auction. I guess the simple fact of the matter is, if they're good speakers, why get rid of them?!

[powerstruggle]

Computer speakers can be pretty hardcore powerful these days..

But for music production it's SERIOUSLY worth it to get something decent.


Too many people seem to be willing to spend thousands getting top of the line decks and mixer. But dont seem willing to get even half decent speakers.

Legit comment ^

[seth111]

i lol'd




i kept my eyes on eBay for a while before i got my current monitors, and i found decent speakers seldom came up for auction. I guess the simple fact of the matter is, if they're good speakers, why get rid of them?!

But did you get your monitors for producing or DJing, this guy wants them for DJing hence prob doesn't need anything more than the Truths. You don't need to go and spend two grand on monitors your only going to use for bedroom use and thrashing at the occasional party. You should be able to find a pair of the 2031a's for about 300 bucks.

[Eros le Tardfack]

an old nad/marantz/denon etc amp and some fat old passive speakers will sound way better than tinny pc speakers. check your local rag, people are usually stoked to get a few hundred bucks for their old stereo setup.

[Qyacgt]

just wait and save up?
thats what i did, started off with crappy computer speakers and a cheap sub thing.
but if ur looking at gigging and stuff soon then definitely get better sound gear!!!

[Garthyboy]

I used a Pioneer 2 x 60 watt amp with some home hifi speakers for a long time
It was shit, but a lot better than PC speakers

Then finally grabbed a pair of Fostex pm2's
Then the neighbours really hated me

Ohh and i still own no pioneer equipment and won't until the next 1000's come out....then i will probably finally give in and by a pair, to simplify my digital (MIDI) setup

[Peakin Pecan]

i know the logitechs are pretty shitty and basic, but for the money i think they're a good option if u want something very cheap, very quickly. i saw the 5:1 logitech setup at JB for $120 a few weeks ago, fucking cheap in anyones book. not a bad option while waiting to get something a bit more qual...

[DTrancer]

http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1961

would be a better than logitec option. i'm actually pretty happy with them in terms of quality / price / loudness. they are a very nice sounding speaker

well about these 4i's? I think they just came out?? I wouldnt mind having them hooked up to my computer too, if it has great sound - plus you can dock an ipod on it!:

http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1946

they are about $380 on ebay incl. delivery. is it worth it you reckon???

[struggle_street]

Yo i'm battling!

I use Logitech Z-2300 speakers just to practice in my bedroom, but when i change between channels sound from one of the speakers cuts out. At first i thought it might have been my DJM400 but I recently got a DJM700 and the same thing happens. Is it something to do with using pc speakers?? I run dual RCA's from the 'master 2' output to a female 3.5mm jack which joins to the green 3.5mm male plug from the speakers.

Any help would be awesome.

[Spectrum]

but when i change between channels sound from one of the speakers cuts out. At first i thought it might have been my DJM400 but I recently got a DJM700 and the same thing happens.


That suggests the fault lies *before* the mixer in the signal path (turntables/cables), not afterwards (cables/amps/speakers).

[Edstacee]

That suggests the fault lies *before* the mixer in the signal path (turntables/cables), not afterwards (cables/amps/speakers).

Yep, swop the decks over and test.
Also dont smoke cones before system troubleshooting. Maybe that was part of the prob?

I say that from experience, nearly got electrocuted once..:what:

[struggle_street]

Swapped the decks and the same thing happens. I think it has something to do with the mixer trying to send the signal as 'stereo' through a cable which compresses a 'left' and 'right' RCA output into a single 3.5mm output. When i switch from stereo to mono the sound is divided among the two speakers however when i switch it back to stereo i get perfect sound when the right channel is in use. But when i switch to the left channel i only get sound coming from one speaker.

*I have swapped the decks so it's definatley not a problem with the mixer* maybe

[pEAkeR_hAT]

Check all your connections first, especially the one that goes from your mixer to your amp. If they seem fine then 99% sure it will either be a bad connection where your catridge screws in, or a worn stylus.

A common solution is to lick your finger , and then touch the four metal prongs on the end of the cartidge, this will fix the problem but will also corrode components quickly. Best solution is to get some sort of electrical conductor shit that you can spray in there.

[Spectrum]

Swapped the decks and the same thing happens. I think it has something to do with the mixer trying to send the signal as 'stereo' through a cable which compresses a 'left' and 'right' RCA output into a single 3.5mm output. When i switch from stereo to mono the sound is divided among the two speakers however when i switch it back to stereo i get perfect sound when the right channel is in use. But when i switch to the left channel i only get sound coming from one speaker.

*I have swapped the decks so it's definatley not a problem with the mixer* maybe


Again, forget the mixer to speaker connection as the problem. You've just confirmed that sending a mono mix down the stereo RCA cable from the mixer causes both speakers to sound.

On your mixer, do the level meters show sound on *both* left and right channels when playing stereo?

Again, if it doesn't then there's something wrong upstream. You say you swapped the decks (and I assume the no-audio occurred on the same channel as before?), but did you swap the interconnecting cables too?

[struggle_street]

OK i think i've worked it out.. there must be something wrong with the signal coming from one of my decks. Whichever channel this particular deck is playing from, only one side of the Master Level LED's lights up.

I've swapped cables to make sure it's not a faulty lead.

[slackas]

You can just get shit arse cheap monitors, the EQ on computer speakers is so crap.

[SwordSnare]

How much did you pay for the rest of your equipment?

Too many people seem to be willing to spend thousands getting top of the line decks and mixer. But dont seem willing to get even half decent speakers.


At least it's just CDJ-400/DJM-400 setup...could be worse...seen the same scenario cdj-1000MK3s, djm-800, Top of the range laptop, DVS, etc...Logitech speakers :crazy:

Be kind to your ears...He's a suggestion...

ONLINE SALE KRK RP5 Studio Monitors (Pair) $ 360

http://www.djwarehouse.com.au/cat/index.cgi/shopfront/view_product_details?category_id=15670&product_id=1321140

maybe a pair of powered Behringer Truths, even a small pair of Edirol (Roland) monitors...it depends on your home studio space.

[Bracko]

well about these 4i's? I think they just came out?? I wouldnt mind having them hooked up to my computer too, if it has great sound - plus you can dock an ipod on it!:

http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1946

they are about $380 on ebay incl. delivery. is it worth it you reckon???

they're a hell of a lot better than logitec speakers, but you're not going to get the nice big sound of a 6 or 8" monitor from a 4" one.

[acoustinaut]

Yea why do so many people not even consider buying secondhand, if you not a complete muppet you should be able to pick a bargain on some used monitors quite easily.
I believe you answered your own question...


an old nad/marantz/denon etc amp and some fat old passive speakers will sound way better than tinny pc speakers. check your local rag, people are usually stoked to get a few hundred bucks for their old stereo setup.
THIS! :thumb:

say no to studio monitors :crazy:

[powerstruggle]

say no to studio monitors :crazy:

I'm going to assume you're not being sarcastic.

Are studio monitors worth it? I've been looking at perhaps getting some, but would I be wasting money if I have speakers that make sound already?


*edit*

Made my own thread: http://www.inthemix.com.au/forum/showthread.php?p=392820416